The use of sound effects generated in conjunction with music from a musical instrument has become quite popular. Examples of sound effects which can be generated include distortion, fuzz, overdrive, chorus, reverberation, wah-wah, flanging, phaser or pitch shifting. The devices that generate these sounds may be referred to as sound effect generators or more broadly as signal processing/altering devices or audio components. These devices have also been referred to as an effects pedal or a stomp box because they generally implemented in conjunction with a pedal board, for example, that have large on/off switches on top that are activated using the foot. There are a variety of sound effect generators that are operated by the players of musical instruments in conjunction with the playing of the instruments to generate a desired sound effect along with the music. A sound effect generator can be used in conjunction with a flat board, pedal board or panel which serves as a container, patch bay and power supply for the effects pedals. Some pedal boards contain their own transformer and power cables, in order to power up multiple different effects pedals. Sound effect generators can assist the musician in creating multiple sound effects by using particular combinations of the sound effect generators. Some sound effect generators, such as wah-wah or volume pedals, employ what is known as an expression pedal, which is manipulated while in operation by rocking a large foot-activated (treadle) potentiometer back and forth. Thus, in this case relative position of the expression pedal determines the extent to which the sound is altered.
One problem associated with the use of conventional system stem from the fact that the sound effect generators are typically designed to have the pedals or generators on the floor of the facility in which the musician is playing. After the musician engages one or more of the pedals on one or more occasions, the sound effect generators tend to move and thus, are not in a position where the musician would expect them to be when next required for use. This is particularly a problem when a number of sound effect generators are used in combination. Thus, the logistics of maintaining each of the sound effect generators in a proper position so that the musician knows the location of those pedals by feel is quite complicated.
Another problem with the use of conventional sound effect generators is that switching from one combination of sound effect generators to another combination of sound effect generators involves activating or toggling multiple pedals. FIG. 1, for example illustrates a group of sound effect generators A, B, C and D connected in series with the musical instrument 100. A desire to use particular combinations of the sound effect generators to create the desired sound in the audio output involves multiple switching actions that can be implemented with the bypass activators that increase the complexity of the process. For example if the musician desires to employ sound effect generators B and D, the musician will have to first turn off A, turn on B, then turn Off C and then turn on D. This process can be very tedious especially given the time constraints of switching to a different combination of sound effect generators during a performance by the musician.
What is desired is a way to store different combinations of sound effect generators and allow simple and quick switching between such combinations when desired by the musician.